Detector.



A. J. GOUGHENOUR.

DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

nwwtoz A. COUGHENOUR fully describe and claim ALLEN J. COUGHENOUR, FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

v Specification of Letters Patent. I

nnrnc'roit.

Patented Nov.,3, 1914.

Application filed January 24, 1914.' Serial No. 814,211. i

. lates more particularly to those systems in which the energy representing the signals or message is transmitted through the natural media in electroradiant form.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a device of the above character embodying a mass of crystal or other metal or substance of high electrical conductivity, a renewable metal contact member, and improved means for mounting and adjustin said member to engage the'same with di erent points on the surface of the crystal mass.

' The invention has for a further object to provide improved means for regulating the pressure of a metal contact needle with the conducting crystalf The invention has for still another of its objects to produce a device of the above character whereby the presence of electrical radiations may be detected with a great degree of sensitiveness, such desirable result being attained without complicating the construction or increasing the cost of manufacture of such devices as they are now known and commonly employed in the art.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in wh1ch- Flgure 1 1s a side'elevation of a detector embodying my invention in its preferred form; Fig.' is a top plan'view thereof;

Fig. is a section taken on the line '33 of .Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail section of the sta tionary electric wave receiving member employed in the bi-crystal form of the detector; Figs. 5 and 6 are det'ail views of modified forms of certain parts of the detector.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates a suitable base of insulating material upon which the binding posts 6 are mounted,- said binding posts being wired to the receiving apparatus in the usual manner. The post or standard 7 is also mounted upon one-end of the-base 5 and is provided ad j acent its upper end with a transverse opening to receive the cylindrical rod or stem 8 of a holding cup 9 for the chalcopyrite or other-crystal mass having the requisite electrical conductivity indicated at 10. A binding screw. 7 is threaded in the upper end of the standard 7 for engagement with the-rod 8 to secure the crystal conductor 10 in position. This crystal mass is securely held ina fusible metal base arranged in the cup or holder 9. The contact surface or face of this conducting medium is preferably of a very rough character, thereby presenting a multiplicity of minute contact surfaces and.

materially increasing the general utility and serviceability of the device. Adjacent the opposite end of the-insulating base 5, a plate 11 is secured thereto, said plate having the vertical parallel arms 12 which constitute supporting hearings or standards for the spherical member 13 in which the rod 14 is loosely mounted. One end of this rod is threaded to receive a nut 15 and the contact needle carrying member 16.v This member is disposed upon the extremity of the threaded portion of the rod and is horizon- Y tally arranged in parallel relation to the base. Thempposite ends of said member are provided with spring clamping tongues 17 '95 in,.either of which the metal contact needle 18 is securely held. Upon the rod 14 betweenthe spherical enlargement 13 thereof, and the nut 15, a coil spring 19 is arranged. By adjusting the nut 15 upon the "rod, the

tension of the spring 19 may beregulated as desired to secure greater or less pressure of the point of the needle 18"against the rough face of the crystal mass 10: 1 'Uporrtheouter end of. the rod 14, a knurled head orfingerfpie'ce 20 is secured whereby said rod may be readily moved by the operator in 'a live point of the contact surface.

18' which is engaged therewith to the receiver, the wave oscillations being converted into a form suitable for intelligently transmitting the message without necessitating the use of any auxiliary energy, and without undue resistance due to imperfect contact. The operator without removing the receiver from the head may readily adjust the position of the needle 18 upon the face of the crystal conducting medium 10 by simply pulling slightly upon the rod 14 and swinging the same in any desired direction between the bearing arms 12 whereby the point of the needle may be disposed upgn this manner, I am enabled to obtain by means of my device, without interrupting for any appreciable length of time, the

transmission of the electromagnetic Waves, a maximum degree of efficiency in the operation of the instrument. It will further be apparent from reference to Fig. 2 that if desired, two of the metal contact needles may be employed, and arranged in the member 16 upon opposite sides of the universally movable rod 14. The simple adjustment of the nut 15 effects a greater or less pressure of the needle point against the contact points of the electrical conducting medium 10.

In some instances, it is desired to substitute for the metal needles 18, a crystal conductor of the same or difierent character than the stationary crystal mass 10, so as to obtain a greater area or contacting surface between the two conductors. To this end, I provide as a substitute for the needle, the movable contact member shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which consists of a cup 21 having a rod 22 fixed thereto. A fusible metal 23 is arranged in the cup 21 by means of which the crystal 24 is securely held in place, said crystal being of irregular form and-projecting out of the open side of the cup 21. This crystal contact member is ar ranged in the holding device as will be readily understood from the foregoing description, and said crystal having a plurality of contact points, will engage with several points on the roughened face of the stationary crystal mass 10.

7 In Fig. 5 of the drawings,-I havfshown a slightly modified form of the post or standard 7, in which the stationary con- "ductor is mounted. .In this construction,

the standard 25 is of rectangular form and creased or decreased as desired and the cost owing to its extremely simple conis provided upon its upper end with the '6 resilient tongues 26 for clamping engagementupon the rod or stem of the cup or container for the stationary conductor.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, I have illustrated in lieu of the adjustable collar or nut 7 15, for regulating the tension of the spring 19, a sleeve 27 which is loosely mounted upon the rod 14. This sleeve carries a spring'plate 28, the end of which is adapted for engagement in any oneof a series of notches 29 formed in the periphery of the rod. It will be readily understood that by simply sliding the sleeve 27 along the rod 14, the tension of the spring may be inpressure of the contact needle against the face of the stationary conductor varied accordingly.

From the above description, it is thought that the construction, manner of use and several advantages of my invention will be fully apparent.

The device efi'ectually fulfils in a satisfactory manner, all requirements of detectors employed in wireless telegraphy, as to sensitiveness, speed, and stability. The device is in no wise affected by changes in atmospheric temperature 'nor is its sensitiveness appreciably impaired by long continued use. It will be understood that'the crystal having the inherent property of conductors will make an operatlve contact with another suitable conductor, if such contact be substantially perfect. My invention requires no auxiliary source of heat as do some of the common detectors now upon the market designed for receiving high frequency oscillations. Thus a distinct commercial advantage is attained in that all auxiliary devices such as batteries and the requisite accompanying potentiometers are dispensed with, thereby eliminating a considerable item of expense. My invention is also capable of. manufacture at very small struction. v 7

While I have shown and described-the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements it will be understood that the device is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I therefore reserve'the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

,Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: i

- In a detector, a stationary conductor, a universally movable support, a rod loosely mounted in said support for movement 'therethrough, said rod being threaded at one end, a holder detachably engaged upon the threaded end of the rod, a conductor removabl mounted in said holder. and adapted or engagement with the stationary conductor, a; spring mounted upon said rod and bearing against the support at one of its ends, and an adjustable nut threaded upon 'the rod with whichthe other end of said spring is engaged whereby said rod is yieldingly held against movement in one direotion through its support and the pressure of the conductor carried thereby upon 10 the stationary conductor regulated.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN J. GOUGHEN OUR.

Witnesses:

M. GARLIsLE LYDDANE, D. W. GA L. 

